nd I know how to run their
small boats. This battle, fantastic as it is, is deadly stuff, and it
isn't one-sided, by any means, either, so that every one of them, from
Nerado down, seems to be on emergency duty. There are no guards watching
us, or stationed where we want to go--our way out is open. And once out,
this battle is giving us our best possible chance to get away from them.
There's so much emission out there already that they probably couldn't
detect the driving force of the lifeboat, and they'll be too busy to
chase us, anyway."

"Once out, then what?" asked Bradley.

"We'll have to decide that before we start, of course. I'd say make a
break back for Earth. We know the direction and we'll have plenty of
power."

"But good Heavens, Conway, it's so far!" exclaimed Clio. "How about
food, water, and air--would we ever get there?"

"You know as much about that as I do. I think so, but of course anything
might happen. This ship is none too big, is considerably slower than the
big space-ship, and we're a long ways from home. Another bad thing is
the food question. The boat is well stocked according to Nevian ideas,
but it's pretty foul stuff for us to eat. However, it's nourishing, and
we'll have to eat it, since we can't carry enough of our own supplies to
the boat to last long. Even so, we may have to go on short rations, but
I think that we'll be able to make it. On the other hand, what happens
if we stay here? They will find us sooner or later, and we don't know
any too much about these ultra-weapons. We are land-dwellers, and there
is little if any land on this planet. Then, too, we don't know where to
look for what land there may be, and even if we could find it, we know
that it is all over-run with amphibians already. There's a lot of things
that might be better, but they might be a lot worse, too. How about it?
Do we try or do we stay here?"

"We try it!" exclaimed Clio and Bradley, as one.

"All right. I'd better not waste any more time talking--let's go!"

Stepping up to the locked and shielded door, he took out a peculiarly
built torch and pointed it at the Nevian lock. There was no light, no
noise, but the massive portal swung smoothly open. They stepped out and
Costigan relocked and reshielded the entrance.

"How ... what...." Clio demanded.

"I've been going to school for the last few weeks," Costigan grinned,
"and I've picked up quite a few things here and there--literally, as
well as figu